Automated detection of dashboard defects

27.08.2012

It is very important to automobile manufacturers to ensure a high visual impression of quality for cars. This includes a faultless exterior as well as an impeccable interior. During production, however, it is not always possible to visually detect all discrepancies. Evaluating such discrepancies is often subjective. INB Vision AG, a company of the Micro-Epsilon group, designed the surfaceCONTROL measuring system for defect recognition of automotive interior parts.

This system uses structured light projection. With its measuring area the size of an A3 paper (approx. 300x400mm), surfaceCONTROL captures the surface and computes the 3D data within just a few seconds. Even shape deviations of a few 10µm on textured cockpit surfaces, for example near airbag seams, are recognized and evaluated. A number of evaluation procedures are available, depending on the nature of the shape deviation being investigated: these may include calculating a flawless virtual cover or using a digital whetstone, much like a whetstone in the press shop. These procedures provide alternatives to the manual defect detection customary in the trade, and they ensure reproducible and objective evaluations of discrepancies.